Drop finger conveyor, hanger and method

ABSTRACT

A unique drop finger conveyor, hanger and method of assembling the same wherein a supporting beam has a drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced therebelow on guides supported by a drop finger which is attached to the underside of the beam and carries a trolley track. The hanger has a tracksupporting leg depending from a horizontal head plate extending across and under the supporting beam and secured thereto by attaching clips. At one side of the conveyor chain, the guide therefor is mounted directly on the hanger leg. At the opposite side of the chain, the chain guide is mounted on a bracket provided separate from the head plate and fastened by means of securing screws to the head plate. Thereby the hanger is adapted to be installed by inserting the head plate into position between the beam and the conveyor chain and its guides without dismantling the chain or the guides, and the bracket thereafter secured in place on the head plate and in mounted relation to the chain guide.

United States Patent Sears Dec. 30, 1975 [76] Inventor: Richard J. Sears, P.O. Box 83, Elk

Grove Village, Ill. 60007 [22] Filed: June 3, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 475,954

[52] US. Cl 10,4/111; 16/94 R; 104/93;

104/110; 248/228 [51] Int. Cl. E01B 25/24 [58] Field of Search 104/89, 91, 93, 106, 110,

l04/111,115, 172 S, 94, 95,107,109,172 C; 16/87 R, 94 R, 90; 105/155; 248/72, 200,

Schmidt 1,662,539 3/1928 104/111 2,657,643 11/1953 Swanback et al.. 104/93 X 3,163,260 12/1964 Brenner 104/89 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,047,490 11/1966 United Kingdom 104/94 Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant ExaminerRand0lph A. Reese Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [57] ABSTRACT A unique drop finger conveyor, hanger and method of assembling the same wherein a supporting beam has a drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced therebelow on guides supported by a drop finger which is attached to the underside of the beam and carries a trolley track. The hanger has a tracksupporting leg depending from a horizontal head plate extending across and under the supporting beam and secured thereto by attaching clips. At one side of the conveyor chain, the guide therefor is mounted directly on the hanger leg. At the opposite side of the chain, the chain guide is mounted on a bracket provided separate from the head plate and fastened by means of securing screws to the head plate. Thereby the hanger is adapted to be installed by inserting the head plate into position between the beam and the conveyor chain and its guides without dismantling the chain or the guides, and the bracket thereafter secured in place on the head plate and in mounted relation to the chain guide 15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 DROP FINGER CONVEYOR, HANGER AND METHOD Drop finger conveyors are widely used in slaughterhouses and meat packing plants for conveying carcasses. For this purpose, the conveyor assemblies are of a rugged construction to carry heavy loads. A common configuration of such conveyors includes a supporting beam structure with drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced below the beams, chain guides supported by a hanger secured by clips to the underside of the supporting beam, and a track carried by the hangers on which carcass-supporting trolleys run propelled by the drop fingers of the conveyor. In a typical arrangement, the hangers are mounted at about two-foot intervals along the supporting beam. Heretofore, the hangers have always, so far as I am aware, been constructed as one-piece cast iron members, such that the trolley track-supporting leg, the head plate and the chain-guiding channel mounting lugs have all been made in one solid piece. Such a construction is excellent for new installations. However, when a hanger breaks, which occurs with sufficient frequency to be a major maintenance problem, replacement of a hanger requires long shut-down of the conveyorand consumes much labor. To replace even one hanger may take two workmen as much as four hours. This comes about because in order to install a replacement hanger, the chain and the chain guides must be dismantled suffi ciently to permit the mounting lug structure at the opposite side of the hanger from the trolley track carrying leg to clear the chain and chain guides during mounting of the replacement hanger. It is to the alleviation of this problem that the present invention is particularly directed.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a drop finger conveyor assembly having a new and improved hanger structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved hanger structure for drop finger conveyor assemblies which will enable quick hanger replacements to be made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved drop finger conveyor hanger which can be installed rapidly without dismantling the drop finger conveyor chain or the chain guides of the conveyor assembly.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of assembling hangers in drop finger conveyor constructions.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheet of drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure. 7

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drop finger conveyor assembly embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional and elevational view taken substantially along the line Il-II of FIG. l

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded assembly view showing important features of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line IV-lV of FIG. 2

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT clamps 9 for attaching a hanger 10 to the beam. One

function of the hanger 10 is to support a drop finger conveyor chain 11 to run longitudinally in limited spaced relation below the beam 5 on and between guide means in the form of a pair of horizontally spaced parallel tracks 12. Another function of the hanger 10 is to support, in substantially spaced relation below the chain 11 and the tracks 12, a trolley track rail 13 on which load-supporting carriers or trolleys 14, one of which is exemplified in FIG. 1, are adapted to run. Each trolley 14 has a trolley wheel 15 engaging on the rail 13 and an upwardly extending head 17 which is engageable by one of a series of depending drop fingers 18 carried at suitable intervals by the conveyor chain 11. Thereby the trolley 14 and a load which may be carried by a depending hook 19 on the trolley are moved along the rail 13. A trolley guide buffer strip 20 is desirably carried by and between the hangers 10 generally co-extensively with the rail 13. It will be understood, of course, that the length of the conveyor assembly will be as required and that as many of the hangers 10 will be employed therealong as necessary to accommodate load requirements for the system. In a typical installation, the hangers 10 may be placed at about two-foot intervals.

According to the present invention, the hanger 10 is constructed and arranged to adapt it to be installed in the conveyor assembly, either as original equipment or as a replacement, and the structure of the hanger is especially suitable for replacement purposes without requiring any dismantling of the conveyor chain 11, the conveyor guides 12, the rail 13 or the trolley guide 20. To this end, the hanger 10 comprises a track-supporting leg 21 depending from a horizontal head plate 22 which is thinner than the width of the limited space between the beam flange 8 and the chain 11 and the tracks12 and in the assembly extends across and under the supporting beam and is secured thereto in flat faceto-face abutment with the underside of the flange 8 by the clamps 9 fastened as by means of bolts 23 extending through respective opposite end portions of the plate 22 which project a sufficient distance beyond the opposite edges of the beam flange 8 for this purpose. For mounting one of the rails 12, the leg 21 depends from .one end portion of the plate 22 along the outer side of the associated rail 12 which is in the form of a channel to receive carrying means in the form of a rugged lug 24 on the leg and to which the rail is secured as by means of one or more, and preferably two, screws 25. An intermediate lower portion of the leg 21 below the drop fingers 18 carries the trolley guide 20 secured thereto as by means of screws 27. Therebelow, the hanger leg 21 has an integral rail seat portion 28 offset into generally underlying relation to the chain 11 to support the rail 13 substantially centered below the conveyor chain. Means, such as a screw 29, secure the rail 13 to the seat 28.

In order to adapt the hanger for replacement installation in the conveyor assembly, the head plate 22 on its opposite end portion from the leg 21 is initially flat and free from any obstruction to movement into position through the limited space between the beam flange 8 and the'conveyor chain 11 and the chain guides 12. After the head plate 22 has been thus moved into operative supporting relation to the associated chain guide 12, the trolley guide and the trolley rail 13, a chain guide supporting bracket 30, which is provided separate from the head plate 22, is secured in place for mounting the chain guide 12 on the opposite side of the chain 11 from the leg 21. For this purpose, the bracket 30 is of generally L-shape, having a horizontal flange 31 which engages the lower flat face of the adjacent end portion of the head plate 22 and to which the flange 31 is secured by means of a pair of machine screws 32 extending vertically through aligned screw holes 33 and 34 at the respective opposite sides of the plate 22 and the flange 31 so as to place the screws 32 in clearance relation to the associated clamp securing bolt 23. In a preferred arrangement, the bolt 23 has its head on its lower end engaging against the flange -31 and with its shank extending upwardly successively through a generally centered hole 35 in the flange 31, an aligned hole 37 in the plate 22 and an aligned hole 38 in the clamp 9, with a nut 39 on the bolt accessible at the top of the clamp 9 for tightening the bolt. On the other hand, the screws 32 have their heads on top of the plate 22 under the clamp 9 in non-turning engagement with the beam flange 8 or the fulcrum lug of the clamp 9, or both, and with the lower ends of the screw shanks extending below the flange 31 and carrying respective nuts 40, tightened against respective lock washers 41, thereby clamped by the nuts against the underside of the flange 31 for tightly securing the flange 31, and thereby the bracket 30 in cooperation with the bolt 23 securely onto the head plate 22.

On its inner end, the bracket 30 has a depending flange 42 provided with a lug 43 engaging within the channel of the associated chain guide 12, the same as the leg lug 24. Securing means comprising a pair of screws 44 secure the associated chain guide 12 fixedly to the lug 43.

In a preferred construction, the hanger 10 is constructed from steel, thereby providing a stronger structure than can be attained by making the same from cast iron. In addition, steel may be more readily available than castings for various reasons, among which may be mentioned, the environmental clean air requirements which strongly militate against foundry practices where cast iron parts are generally produced. In producing the hanger 10 from steel, the hanger leg 21 is formed as one piece to which the lug 24 formed as another piece is welded and the upper end of the leg is welded to the head plate 22 thereby uniting these parts into an integral unit. The bracket 30 is formed as a separate piece and is preferably separably secured to the head plate 22 by means of the associated bolt 23 and the screws 32. The lug 43 is secured as by welding to the flange 42 of the bracket 30.

Installation of the hanger 10 is, as has already been indicated, easily effected simply by inserting the head plate 22 into position between the beam flange 8 and the conveyor chain 11 without dismounting the chain 11 or the guides 12, or the track 13 or the guide 20. As a preliminary attachment after the head plate 22 has been moved into position, the clamp 9 at the leg end of the plate 22 may be at least preliminarily secured by its bolt 23, the lug 24 secured to its chain guide 12, the track 13 secured to the seat 28 and the guide 20 secured to the leg 21. At any time after the head plate 22 has been moved into position, the separately formed bracket 30 may be assembled therewith by moving the bracket into position as shown on comparison with the full and dash line positions in FIG. 3, and secured in place by means of the bolt 23 and the screws 32, and the lug 43 secured to the associated guide 12 by the screws 44. All of this can be accomplshed in a few minutes by one or more workmen, thus greatly minimizing conveyor down time as compared to prior practice where the chain guide mounting lugs are provided in a one-piece hanger structure. The economic advantages of the present invention are, therefore, quite evident.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

l claim as my invention:

1. In a drop finger conveyor assembly including a supporting beam, a drop finger conveyor chain disposed to run longitudinally in limited spaced relation below the beam, horizontally spaced longitudinally extending track means supporting and guiding the conveyor chain, therebetween, a longitudinal track rail substantially spaced below the chain and the track means, and means for attaching a hanger to said beam, the improvement comprising:

a hanger having a track rail supporting leg depending from one end portion of a horizontal head plate thinner than the width of the space between the beam and the chain and track means and extending across and under the beam and secured thereto by said attaching means, an opposite end portion of the head plate being free from any obstruction which would interfere with moving said opposite end of the plate into position under the beam by passing it freely through the space between the beam and said chain and track means;

means securing the rail to a lower portion of said leg;

means on an upper portion of said leg mounting the chain guiding track means at one side of the conveyor chain;

a bracket provided separate from said plate and mounting the chain guiding track means at the opposite side of the chain;

and securing means fastening the bracket to said opposite end portion of the head plate; whereby the hanger is adapted to be installed by inserting said head plate into position between said beam and the conveyor chain and then attached to the beam without dismantling the chain or the guiding means, and the bracket is adapted to be thereafter secured in place on the installed head plate and in mounting relation to the chain guiding means.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said securing means includes a bolt comprising part of said attaching means.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said securing means comprise screws clamping the bracket to said head plate supplemental to said bolt.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said bolt has its head engaging the bracket and the shank of the bolt extending upwardly and provided with a fastening nut engaging a clamp resting in part on the head plate and clampingly engaging a flange of the beam against which the head plate engages, and said screws having heads engaging said head plate under said clamp and shank extending downwardly through the head plate and the bracket and having attaching nuts on lower portions of the screw shanks which depend below the bracket.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said bracket is of generally L-shape having a horizontal flange engaging said head plate, and a depending flange having thereon a guide track means mounting lug.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said head plate comprises a steel member and said leg comprises a steel member, said leg having an upper end welded to the head plate, said means onthe leg mounting the chain guide means comprising a steel lug welded to the leg, said bracket being a steel member, and a steel guide means mounting leg welded to the bracket.

7. A hanger for use in a drop finger conveyor assembly including a supporting beam, a drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced below the beam, spaced track means for guiding the conveyor chain therebetween, a trolley track rail, and means for attaching a hanger to said beam, the hanger comprising:

a track-supporting leg depending from a horizontal head plate adapted to extend across and under the supporting beam so as to be secured thereto by said attaching means;

means on said leg for mounting the chain guiding track means at one side of the conveyor chain;

a bracket provided separate from said head plate and adapted for mounting the chain guiding track means at the opposite side of the chain;

and securing means for fastening the bracket to said head plate;

whereby the hanger is adapted to be installed by inserting said head plate into position between the beam and the conveyor chain and attached to the beam without dismantling the chain or the guiding means, whereafter the bracket is adapted to be secured in place on the installed head plate and in mounting relation to the chain guiding means.

8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein said securing means includes a bolt comprising part of said attaching means.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein said securing means comprise screws clamping the bracket to said head plate supplemental to said bolt.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said bolt has its head engaging the bracket and the shank of the bolt extending upwardly and provided with a fastening nut engaging a clamp resting in part on the head plate and clampingly engaging a flange of the beam against which the head plate engages, and said screws having heads engaging said head plate under said clamp and shanks extending downwardly through the head plate and the bracket and having attaching nuts securing the screws on lower portions of the screw shanks below the bracket.

11. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein said bracket is of generally L-shape having a horizontal flange engaging said head plate, and a depending flange having thereon a guide track means mounting lug.

12. A hanger according to claim 7, wherein said head plate comprises a steel member and said leg comprises a steel member, said leg having an upper end welded to the head plate, said means on the leg mounting the chain guide means comprising a steel lug welded to the leg, said bracket being a steel member, and a steel guide means mounting lug welded to the bracket.

13. A method of installing a hanger in a drop finger conveyor assembly including a supporting beam, a drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced below the beam, spaced track means for guiding the conveyor chain, a trolley track rail, and means for attaching a hanger to said beam, the steps comprising:

installing a horizontal head plate of a hanger across and under the supporting beam and attaching it to the beam by said attaching means;

effecting support of the track by a leg depending from said horizontal head plate;

mounting the chain guide means at one side of the conveyor chain on said leg;

and after the 'head plate has been installed, securing a separately formed bracket to the head plate and mounting the chain guide means at the opposite side of the chain on said bracket.

14. A method'according to claim 13, wherein said bracket comprises an L-shaped member having a horizontal flange and a depending flange equipped with a chain guide channel mounting lug, comprising moving the bracket laterally into position with said horizontal flange parallel under the head plate until said lug engages in the guide channel, and then securing said horizontal flange to the head plate.

15. A method according to claim 13, comprising fabricating said head plate from a piece of flat steel, forming said leg'from an elongated piece of steel, welding an upper end of the leg to the underside of one end portion of said plate, forming said bracket to provide a horizontal flange and a depending flange, securing said horizontal flange to the underside of the opposite end portion of said plate, and mounting said chain guiding means on the depending flange of the bracket. 

1. In a drop finger conveyor assembly including a supporting beam, a drop finger conveyor chain disposed to run longitudinally in limited spaced relation below the beam, horizontally spaced longitudinally extending track means supporting and guiding the conveyor chain, therebetween, a longitudinal track rail substantially spaced below the chain and the track means, and means for attaching a hanger to said beam, the improvement comprising: a hanger having a track rail supporting leg depending from one end portion of a horizontal head plate thinner than the width of the space between the beam and the chain and track means and extending across and under the beam and secured thereto by said attaching means, an opposite end portion of the head plate being free from any obstruction which would interfere with moving said opposite end of the plate into position under the beam by passing it freely through the space between the beam and said chain and track means; means securing the rail to a lower portion of said leg; means on an upper portion of said leg mounting the chain guiding track means at one side of the conveyor chain; a bracket provided separate from said plate and mounting the chain guiding track means at the opposite side of the chain; and securing means fastening the bracket to said opposite end portion of the head plate; whereby the hanger is adapted to be installed by inserting said head plate into position between said beam and the conveyor chain and then attached to the beam without dismantling the chain or the guiding means, and the bracket is adapted to be thereafter secured in place on the installed head plate and in mounting relation to the chain guiding means.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said securing means includes a bolt comprising part of said attaching means.
 3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said securing means comprise screws clamping the bracket to said head plate supplemental to said bolt.
 4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said bolt has its head engaging the bracket and the shank of the bolt extending upwardly and provided with a fastening nut engaging a clamp resting in part on the head plate and clampingly engaging a flange of the beam against which the head plate engages, and said screws having heads engaging said head plate under said clamp and shank extending downwardly through the head plate and the bracket and having attaching nuts on lower portions of the screw shanks which depend below the bracket.
 5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said bracket is of generally L-shape having a horizontal flange engaging said head plate, and a depenDing flange having thereon a guide track means mounting lug.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said head plate comprises a steel member and said leg comprises a steel member, said leg having an upper end welded to the head plate, said means on the leg mounting the chain guide means comprising a steel lug welded to the leg, said bracket being a steel member, and a steel guide means mounting leg welded to the bracket.
 7. A hanger for use in a drop finger conveyor assembly including a supporting beam, a drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced below the beam, spaced track means for guiding the conveyor chain therebetween, a trolley track rail, and means for attaching a hanger to said beam, the hanger comprising: a track-supporting leg depending from a horizontal head plate adapted to extend across and under the supporting beam so as to be secured thereto by said attaching means; means on said leg for mounting the chain guiding track means at one side of the conveyor chain; a bracket provided separate from said head plate and adapted for mounting the chain guiding track means at the opposite side of the chain; and securing means for fastening the bracket to said head plate; whereby the hanger is adapted to be installed by inserting said head plate into position between the beam and the conveyor chain and attached to the beam without dismantling the chain or the guiding means, whereafter the bracket is adapted to be secured in place on the installed head plate and in mounting relation to the chain guiding means.
 8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein said securing means includes a bolt comprising part of said attaching means.
 9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein said securing means comprise screws clamping the bracket to said head plate supplemental to said bolt.
 10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said bolt has its head engaging the bracket and the shank of the bolt extending upwardly and provided with a fastening nut engaging a clamp resting in part on the head plate and clampingly engaging a flange of the beam against which the head plate engages, and said screws having heads engaging said head plate under said clamp and shanks extending downwardly through the head plate and the bracket and having attaching nuts securing the screws on lower portions of the screw shanks below the bracket.
 11. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein said bracket is of generally L-shape having a horizontal flange engaging said head plate, and a depending flange having thereon a guide track means mounting lug.
 12. A hanger according to claim 7, wherein said head plate comprises a steel member and said leg comprises a steel member, said leg having an upper end welded to the head plate, said means on the leg mounting the chain guide means comprising a steel lug welded to the leg, said bracket being a steel member, and a steel guide means mounting lug welded to the bracket.
 13. A method of installing a hanger in a drop finger conveyor assembly including a supporting beam, a drop finger conveyor chain running longitudinally spaced below the beam, spaced track means for guiding the conveyor chain, a trolley track rail, and means for attaching a hanger to said beam, the steps comprising: installing a horizontal head plate of a hanger across and under the supporting beam and attaching it to the beam by said attaching means; effecting support of the track by a leg depending from said horizontal head plate; mounting the chain guide means at one side of the conveyor chain on said leg; and after the head plate has been installed, securing a separately formed bracket to the head plate and mounting the chain guide means at the opposite side of the chain on said bracket.
 14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said bracket comprises an L-shaped member having a horizontal flange and a depending flange equipped with a chain guide channel mounting lug, comprising moving the bracket laterallY into position with said horizontal flange parallel under the head plate until said lug engages in the guide channel, and then securing said horizontal flange to the head plate.
 15. A method according to claim 13, comprising fabricating said head plate from a piece of flat steel, forming said leg from an elongated piece of steel, welding an upper end of the leg to the underside of one end portion of said plate, forming said bracket to provide a horizontal flange and a depending flange, securing said horizontal flange to the underside of the opposite end portion of said plate, and mounting said chain guiding means on the depending flange of the bracket. 